Stifel's Upgrades & Downgrades - May 28
Posted: Thu May 28, 2020 9:37 am
E&P Balance Sheets are Work in Progress
Despite efforts to protect balance sheets, debt metrics are likely to exceed covenants for 40% of our small and mid-cap oil group by YE21, if
not sooner. Banks could relax covenants, as they have in the past, although 40% of this group had the borrowing base on their bank lines cut
during a spring redetermination. In addition, 40% of our broader oil universe will be more than 50% drawn on credit lines by YE23, including
seven companies that do not appear to have sufficient funds to address upcoming debt maturities. Despite the turmoil, industry leader EOG
successfully raised $1.5B with a senior notes offering in mid-April while CDEV, QEP, and SM announced debt repurchases or exchanges this
month. All three of the latter stocks outperformed following the announcements.
Favor Financially Sound, Low Cost E&Ps
We continue to favor companies with strong financial positions, low cash costs, and low costs of supply. Our quantitative analysis tool suggests
FANG, NBL, PE, WPX, and XEC are currently the most attractive in our bellwether group and BCEI, PDCE, and QEP in our mid-cap space.
BSM and VNOM screen best among our Minerals group.
After updating our models, we are raising our target prices on APA, CPE, CDEV, CHAP, XEC, CXO, DVN, FANG, FLMN, KRP, LPI, MTDR, NBL, OAS, PDCE, PXD, QEP, SM, SNDE, TPL, VNOM, and WPX, and lowering our targets on BCEI, CLR, EOG, NOG, PE, and WTI.
Here are the oil & gas prices that Stifel is now using for their stock price targets.
Oil ------------- Natural Gas
2020
Q2 $26.06 ---- $1.77
Q3 $33.87 ---- $2.00
Q4 $35.03 ---- $2.51
2021 $36.78 --- $2.74 < This is why I've added two more "gassers" to the Sweet 16. I think we see $3.00 gas by Christmas.
Despite efforts to protect balance sheets, debt metrics are likely to exceed covenants for 40% of our small and mid-cap oil group by YE21, if
not sooner. Banks could relax covenants, as they have in the past, although 40% of this group had the borrowing base on their bank lines cut
during a spring redetermination. In addition, 40% of our broader oil universe will be more than 50% drawn on credit lines by YE23, including
seven companies that do not appear to have sufficient funds to address upcoming debt maturities. Despite the turmoil, industry leader EOG
successfully raised $1.5B with a senior notes offering in mid-April while CDEV, QEP, and SM announced debt repurchases or exchanges this
month. All three of the latter stocks outperformed following the announcements.
Favor Financially Sound, Low Cost E&Ps
We continue to favor companies with strong financial positions, low cash costs, and low costs of supply. Our quantitative analysis tool suggests
FANG, NBL, PE, WPX, and XEC are currently the most attractive in our bellwether group and BCEI, PDCE, and QEP in our mid-cap space.
BSM and VNOM screen best among our Minerals group.
After updating our models, we are raising our target prices on APA, CPE, CDEV, CHAP, XEC, CXO, DVN, FANG, FLMN, KRP, LPI, MTDR, NBL, OAS, PDCE, PXD, QEP, SM, SNDE, TPL, VNOM, and WPX, and lowering our targets on BCEI, CLR, EOG, NOG, PE, and WTI.
Here are the oil & gas prices that Stifel is now using for their stock price targets.
Oil ------------- Natural Gas
2020
Q2 $26.06 ---- $1.77
Q3 $33.87 ---- $2.00
Q4 $35.03 ---- $2.51
2021 $36.78 --- $2.74 < This is why I've added two more "gassers" to the Sweet 16. I think we see $3.00 gas by Christmas.